ARTHUR LEE WILLIAMS

Laurens, S.C.; May 25, 2018 – Eighth Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Friday that a long-time Laurens County crack dealer was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted at trial of distribution of crack cocaine, third offense.

Arthur Lee Williams, 27, of Laurens, was found guilty by a Laurens County jury of distribution of crack, third offense, following two days of trial and less than 20 minutes of deliberation.

Circuit Judge Donald Hocker then sentenced Williams to 25 years in prison. The crime is considered a serious offense under state law and Williams must serve 85 percent of the sentence before being considered for parole.

In July 2015, a confidential informant working with the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office purchased about one gram of crack cocaine from Williams. Williams has three prior narcotics convictions on his record, making him eligible for life without parole if he commits another serious or most serious offense.

Williams’ case was scheduled to be called for trial in July 2017, but the State’s informant was viciously attacked with a hammer the weekend prior to trial, leading to nearly a year-long delay in calling the case back to trial.

Assistant Solicitor Margaret Boykin and Deputy Solicitor Dale Scott handled the case for the state, with assistance from 8th Circuit Investigators Walter Bentley and Joey Pittman. Williams was represented by Ivan Toney of the Greenville County Bar.

Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff, along with Sgt. Matt Veal of the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and Capt. Tyrone Goggins and Sgt. Shane Prather of the Clinton Department of Public Safety, in securing the conviction and lengthy prison sentence.

“It is no secret that crack cocaine breeds violence in communities, and this case is a prime example of that,” Solicitor Stumbo said following the trial. “We cannot and will not stand by and let career drug dealers like Arthur Williams destroy our communities and my office will continue to fight until we get it all off the streets.”

ARTHUR JASON “A.J.” BOWERS

Laurens, S.C.; April 26, 2018 – Eighth Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Thursday that a 15-year journey for justice in the brutal killing of 76-year-old James Bolt at the Laurens County Veterans of Foreign Wars building came to and when the killer was convicted and sentenced to life in prison following a trial at the Laurens County Judicial Complex.

Arthur Jason “A.J.” Bowers, 32, was convicted Thursday of murder, criminal conspiracy, and armed robbery in connection to Bolt’s murder in 2003. A Laurens County jury returned the verdict after deliberating for just under three hours.

Circuit Judge Donald Hocker then handed down a sentence of five years in prison on the criminal conspiracy charge, 30 years in prison on the armed robbery charge, and 50 years in prison on the murder charge, calling the crime “gruesome and heinous.”

In September 2003, Bolt was discovered in a pool of his own blood at the VFW building on East Main Street in Laurens where he was employed. The investigation led police to Bowers, who was 17 years old at the time, but charges were eventually dismissed by then-Solicitor Jerry Peace.

The investigation continued and new charges were filed in 2015 after new information about the murder surfaced. Doyle Wayne Roberts, known in the community as “Wanda Wayne,” was placed under arrest on an unrelated matter when he told police that his mother, 65-year-old Brenda Roberts, had washed the clothes of Bowers and another individual following Bolt’s murder.

Brenda Roberts was found guilty of accessory after the fact to murder on April 27, 2017 and sentenced to 14 years in prison, a sentence handed down by Circuit Judge Frank Addy as a message to Roberts – she was sentenced to one year in prison for every year justice for James Bolt had been denied.

Deputy Solicitor Warren Mowry and Assistant Solicitor Jim Todd handled the case for the State with assistance from 8th Circuit Investigators Walter Bentley and Joey Pittman. Bentley and Pittman both actively worked the case as law enforcement officers with Laurens Police Department.

Bowers was represented by J.G. Anderson of the Georgetown County Bar.

Solicitor Stumbo praised the persistent and tireless work of his staff along with Investigator Logan Kanipe of the Laurens Police Department and Investigator Jared Hunnicutt of the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office in securing Bowers’ conviction.

“The heinous and brutal killing of Mr. James Bolt, a well-respected man, rocked the Laurens community in 2003, and a piece of our innocence was taken,” Solicitor Stumbo said following the sentencing. “While we can never get that piece of innocence back, we can and will pursue those like A.J. Bowers who steal it for as long as necessary to bring them to justice. It is my hope and prayer that this day in court will be another major step towards peace and closure for Mr. Bolt’s entire family.”

TITO MARIN

Laurens, S.C.; February 28, 2018 – Eighth Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Wednesday that a Laurens man will spend the next 25 years in prison for sexually abusing two girls under the age of 12.

Tito Olan Marin, 42, entered guilty pleas Tuesday afternoon at the Laurens County Courthouse, after his case was called to trial by the State, on two counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

Circuit Judge Frank Addy Jr. then sentenced Marin to 25 years in prison on each of the charges, with the sentences to run concurrently.  Under South Carolina law, the sentence will be classified as a violent, “no-parole” offense, and will require Marin to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

In March 2017, a fourth-grade student was learning about “good touches and bad touches” and was observed to be weeping during some of the presentation. A teacher asked if she needed to talk and the student disclosed an assault at the hands of Marin in 2014. The school notified Department of Social Services, who then notified Laurens County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators began interviewing other family members of the victim. A cousin of the victim, without being told anything about the incident with the victim, told investigators Marin had raped her a number of years before, when she was 10 years old.

Both victims said Marin would put a pillow over their face and told them that their parents would not love them anymore if they told anyone what happened.

Deputy Solicitor Dale Scott handled the case for the state, with assistance from 8th Circuit Investigator Walter Bentley and Victim Advocate Rhetta Christian. Marin was represented by Anjelica Hernandez of the Greenville County Bar.

Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff, along with Det. Jared Hunnicutt of the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, in securing the conviction and lengthy prison sentence.

“Our society simply does not have any place for monsters like Tito Marin who prey on children to satisfy their own selfish desires,” Solicitor Stumbo said. “While I wish my office never had to prosecute a single case like this, it provides some measure of reassurance that this sexual predator is now off the streets for many years to come.”

Bryan Roeker

Laurens, S.C.; February 21, 2018 – Eighth Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Wednesday that a Laurens man was sentenced to 15 years in prison following a plea proceeding Tuesday at the Laurens County Courthouse.

Bryan Lee Roeker, 35, pleaded guilty Tuesday afternoon to charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, malicious injury to property, and resisting arrest in connection to an incident in July 2017.

Circuit Judge Donald Hocker accepted Roeker’s guilty plea and sentenced Roeker to 15 years in prison. Roeker had a lengthy criminal history that included numerous property offenses.

In July 2017, Roeker was attempting to break into the Cross Hill home of a 70-year-old woman. The woman went outside to feed her dog and spotted Roeker standing behind her residence. The woman immediately retreated back inside her house and called 911.

Deputies with Laurens County Sheriff’s Office spotted Roeker in the Cross Hill Town Park. When Roeker noticed the deputy approaching, he began to flee and ran inside the Cross Hill Volunteer Fire Department. Deputies waited outside the building and were able to apprehend Roeker after a brief struggle.

Assistant Solicitor Jim Todd handled the case for the state with assistance from 8th Circuit Investigator Joey Pittman and Victim Advocate Rhetta Christian. Roeker was represented by Ivan Toney of the Greenville County Bar.

Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff along with Deputy Darin Boyd of LCSO in securing the conviction and prison sentence.

“I cannot say enough about the great work done by my staff along with Sheriff Don Reynolds and his deputies in getting this career criminal off the streets and behind bars where he belongs,” Solicitor Stumbo said following the proceeding. “We will continue to diligently pursue justice until we remove every menace to society like Bryan Roeker from the streets of our communities.”